THE WITHERS 21 



rhomboideus and the complexus and spinatus. 

 These three muscles may be said for descrip- 

 tive purposes to fill in the angular space 

 formed by the ribs and vertebral spines. 



Structures of Lesser Surgical Importance 



The complexus anteriorly and the spinalis 

 dorsi posteriorly have no especial surgical sig- 

 nificance, except that the former lies closely 

 attached both to the lamellar and the funicu- 

 lar 23ortions of the ligamentum nuch^ and the 

 latter to the spines of the vertebra and are 

 therefore implicated in disease processes, and 

 besides being just two more structures to form 

 channels for the burrowing of pus they in no 

 way govern the course of surgical operations. 

 In fact pus cavities that have formed beneath 

 these muscles are inaccessible and disease of 

 the structures between them (bones posteriorly 

 and the lamellar portion of the ligamentum 

 nuchas anteriorly) usually constitutes an in- 

 curable condition. 



Viewed as a Whole 



The muscles of the withers viewed with the 

 purpose of standardizing surgical procedure 

 against fistula may be compared to an irregu- 

 larly-shaped covered trough containing a 

 longitudinal partition. Anteriorly the trough 

 is walled by the splenius and the serratus cer- 



